Heddle frame



Patented Aug. 20, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN JACOB KAUFMANN, F ELKINS PARK, PENNSYLVAN 1A,. ASSIGNOR TO STEEL HEDDLE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A COR- DURATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

HEDDLE FRAME.

Application filed March 30, 1928. Serial No. 265,841.

My invention relates to heddle frames for looms, and it has particular relation to improved means in such structures for su porting the heddle bars intermediate the1r ends.

5 The principal object of my invention is to provide improved means for supporing the heddle bars intermediate their ends which, while securely supporting said bars against undesirable motion, and while permitting the bars to be conveniently mounted in and dismounted from the frame when desired, will, however, reduce to a minimum breakage of the heddles immediately adjacent the supporting means.

Heretofore, 1n the use of heddles made of thin, flat metal or wire, which are mounted in the heddle frame by means of supporting bars, it has been customary to provide the heddles at one end or both ends with portions offset out of the main plane of the body of the heddle, these offsets being provided to prevent the heddles from turning on their vertical axes, which would cause them to stick on the supporting bars, and would also interfere with the free passage of the warp ends through the eyes of the heddles. f

It has also been customary in heddle frame constructions to provide hook members for supporting the heddle bars intermediate their ends to prevent the same from bending, and also to prevent them from proottom shafts of the heddle frame, and thereby fouling on adjacent frames in the loom when the shedding takes place.

However, the heddles immediately adjacent the heddle bar supporting members frequently become broken y reason of the constant rubbing of the oifset portions of the heddles against the supporting members, which causes the heddles to wear through at this point. In other instances, the mortised ends of the heddles will catch upon the tongue of the hook portion of the supporting member, which also results in breakage of the heddles. It is, of course, well known to loom op- 60 erators that, whenever a heddle breaks, the

. {)ecting beyond the side faces of the top and- 35 loom must be stopped, the damaged heddle removed, a repair heddle inserted in place thereof, and the warp end passed through the eye of the repair heddle.

The present invention, therefore, contemplates the provision of an improved form of supporting member for the heddle bars which is so constructed and arranged as to minimize the breakage of the heddles as above set forth.

The nature and characteristic features of my invention will be more readily understpod from the following description, taken n connection with the accompanying draw ings forming part hereof, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a heddle frame provided with heddle bar supporting devices embodying the main features of my present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a supporting member constituting the principal novel portion of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of one of the supporting members shown in operative relationship with a heddle bar and an auxiliary rod upon which the supporting member is preferably mounted, the heddle being shown in the lowermost limit of its vertical movement with respect to the supporting bar;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but with the heddle shown in the uppermost limit of its vertical movement with respect to the supporting bar;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the supporting member, the heddle bar and auxiliary rod being shown in section; and

Fig. 6 1s a view similar to Fig. 2, showing a modified form of supporting member.

Referring to the drawings, the heddle frame there shown consists of top and b0ttom bars or shafts 7, connected at their ends by means of side strips 8. Extending from end to end of the heddle frame, and arranged near the top and bottom bars 7 in the usual manner, are heddle bars 9, upon which the heddles 10 are mounted.

Each of the heddles 10 is provided with a portion 11 offset out of the main plane of the body of the heddle in the usual manner. These offset portions 11 may be of any pre- 100 ferred shape, and serve to prevent the lied-ends of the plates constituting this supportdles from turning on their vertical axes, which would cause them to bind on the heddle supporting bars 9, and would also retard the free movement of the warp ends through the eyes 12 of the heddles.

It is, of course well known to those skilled in the art that'the heddles are more or less loosely mounted upon the supporting bars 9, whereby the same have a limited range of up and down movement with respect thereto as. the shedding takes place. This arrangement is necessar to permit the operator to pass his hands through the heddles for the purpose of entering and tying up broken warp ends.

Arranged adjacent the inner edge of each of the heddle frame shafts 7 is an auxiliary rod 13. The rod 13 is preferably of noncircular cross section, and is supported by means of screw eyes 14, which are mounted in the shafts 7.

A lurality of supporting members 15 are slida 1y mounted on the auxiliary rods 13. The supporting members 15 are preferably stamped and formed from sheet metal. The preferred form of supporting member is shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. As there shown, the same comprises a strip of metal doubled on itself and having an aperture 16 near one end thereof. The aperture 16-is complemental in shape to the cross section of the auxiliary rods 13 whereby the mem bers 15 may be mounted upon the auxiliary rods 13.

The body portion of the supporting member 15 is provided with a vertical recess 17, for engaging and supporting the heddle bars 9. The recess 17 is preferably open at the top, so as to ermit the heddle bars to be freely inserte therein and removed therefrom.

Near the other end of the sutpporting member 15, there is provided, pre erably on each face thereof, a projecting portion 18. The projection 18 is so located as to engage the plane surface of the body portion of the heddle 10, that is to say, at points other than where the offset portion 11 is located. The projection 18 is of such extension as to prevent the offset portion 11 of the heddle from engaging and rubbing against the side of the supporting member 15, and in like manner, the mortised end of the heddle will be held a sufficient distance away from the tongue 19 of the hook portion of the supporting member, so as to prevent the mortise of the heddle from becoming fouled thereon.

In Fi 6 of the drawings, there is shown a modi ed form of supporting member which, instead of being made from a single piece of sheet metal folded on itself, is made of two pieces, each stamped from sheet metal and fixedly secured to each other by brazing, spot welding or otherwise. The respective ing member are flared with respect to each other, as at 20, so as to provide projecting portions adapted to bear against the plane surface of each of the adjacent heddles.

It will be seen that there is thus-provided an improved form of hook member for supporting the heddle bars intermediate their ends, which is so constructed and arranged that a projecting portion of the same will bear against the plane surface of the body portion of the adjacent heddle, so that in the up and down movement thereof which occurs during the shedding the wear will be distributed over a more considerable portion of the heddle, instead of occurring at the high point of the offset portion thereof, and in this manner breakage immediately adjacent the supporting members will. be reduced to a minimum.

It will also be noted that the projecting portions of the supporting members are extended sufiiciently to prevent the mortises of the heddles from becoming fouled on the tongue portion of the hook member, thereby eliminating still another cause of the breakage of the heddles immediately adjacent the heddle bar supporting members.

Having thus described the nature and characteristic features of my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a heddle frame, heddle bars mounted therein, heddles made of thin flat metal or wire mounted upon said heddle bars, said heddles being provided with oflset portions adjacent the heddle bars, and members for supporting the heddle bars intermediate their ends, said supporting members having means for preventing the offset portions of the heddles from wearing a ainst the side faces of the supporting mem ers.

2. In a heddle frame, heddle bars mounted therein, heddles made of thin fiat metal or wire mounted upon said heddle bars, said heddles being provided with offset portions adjacent the heddle bars, and members for supporting the heddle bars intermediate their ends, said supporting members having a portion projecting from each side face thereof to a greater extent than the oifset portions of the heddles whereby the oifset portions of the adjacent heddles will be prevented from wearing against the side faces of the supporting members, said rojecting portions bearin against the sur aces of the body portions of the heddles.

3. In a heddle frame, heddle bars mounted therein, heddles made of thin flat metal or wire mounted upon said heddle bars, said heddles being provided with offset ortions adjacent the heddle bars, members or su porting the heddle bars intermediate their ends, said supportin members havin a portion projecting rom each side ace thereof to a greater extent than the offset portions of the heddles whereby the offset portions of the adjacent heddles will be prevented from wearing against the side faces of the sup orting members, said proj ecting portions earing against the surfaces of the body portions of the heddles, and means for slidably mounting the supporting members in the frame.

4. In a heddle frame, heddle bars mounted therein, heddles, made of thin fiat metal or wire mounted upon said heddle bars, said heddles being provided with offset ortions adjacent the heddle bars, members or supporting the heddle bars intermediate their ends, said supportin members having a portion projecting rom each side face thereof to a greater extent than the offset portions of-the heddles whereby the offset portions of the adjacent heddles will be prevented from wearing against the side faces of the supporting members, said projecting portions bearing against the surfaces of the body portions of the heddles, and auxiliary rods carried by the shafts of the heddle frame upon which the supporting members for the heddle bars are slidably mounted.

5. In a heddle frame, heddle bars mounted therein, heddles made of thin flat metal or wire mounted upon said heddle bars, said heddles being provided with ofi'set ortions adjacent the heddle bars, members or supporting the heddle bars intermediate their ends, said supportin members havin a portion projecting rom each side face thereof to a greater extent than the offset portions of the heddles whereby the offset portions of the adjacent heddles will be prevented from wearing a ainst the side faces of the supporting members, said projecting portions bearing against the surfaces of the body portions of the heddles, and auxiliary rods carried by the shafts of the heddle frame, said auxiliary rods being of noncircular cross section, and the supporting members for the heddle bars being apertured complementally to the auxiliary rods for slidably mounting the same thereon.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name JOHN JACOB KAUFMANN. 

